Japan: Day Trips & Extensions

Below are Goway’s Japan day tours and extensions listed in alphabetical order by city (there are many more options we haven’t listed). They combine well with our Japan stopovers/city breaks. As experts in customizing itineraries to suit your personal interests, time available and budget, we look forward to being of service to you.

Day Trips

13 Trips Available

Explore the back streets of Kyoto by bike on this guided tour of the city. This invigorating tour is a healthy way to experience a quiet slice of the former imperial capital and takes you through the geisha districts of Miyagawacho and Gion, as well as to the sacred shrines of Yasaka Jinja and Heian.

Visit Kyoto’s historic Gion district and enjoy a kimono fitting, allowing you to try out traditional Japanese fashion for yourself. Afterwards, tour the wood-paneled streets of Gion, encountering geishas and learning about the district’s importance to Japan’s history of fashion and high-end culture.

Take a day in Kyoto to head southwest to visit two iconic landmarks. First, take the ferry to Miyajima Island, where you’ll see the famous orange Itsukushima Torii jutting out of the water at high tide. Afterwards, head to Hiroshima to see the Peace Park and Memorial Museum and learn about the atomic bomb blast that decimated the city at the end of World War II.

Take a day to explore the most famous sites in Kyoto and Nara. In Kyoto, you’ll explore picturesque Nijo Castle, the famous Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, and the Imperial Palace before heading to Nara to visit Todai-ji, home to the Great Buddha, and Kasuga Grand Shrine, with its hundreds of bronze lanterns.

Unleash your inner ninja with this one-hour training session in Kyoto. Learn the secrets of ninja movement and concentration as you wield a ninja sword, throwing stars, and a blowgun, and demonstrate speed and deception like only a ninja can.

Few cities inspire after dark like Tokyo. A sea of neon hides tens of thousands of bars, restaurants and clubs in Shinjuku. Take a guided walk through the entertainment district of Kabuki-cho. Stop for a drink in a local bar, many of which are only large enough to fit 4 or 5 people, and have a chance to interact with the locals, finishing at a karaoke booth.

Take a day to see the iconic sights of Tokyo. On this full-day tour, you’ll climb Tokyo Tower, pass through the lovely Imperial Palace Gardens, visit the oldest Buddhist temple in the city, Senso-ji, and have a chance to shop for cutting-edge fashion in Ginza.

Enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Tokyo, including the National Diet Building, the Imperial Palace, and the Tsukiji Outer Market. You'll see Kabuki-za, home to traditional Kabuki performances, and have a chance to ascend Tokyo Skytree. Your last stop for the day is Senso-ji Temple & Nakamise Shopping Street.

Take a full day to visit Nagano and see the incredible snow monkeys of Japan’s mountains. On this day trip from Tokyo, you’ll visit the remarkable Zenko-ji Temple, one of Japan’s greatest wooden structures, and the Jigokudani Monkey Park, where you’ll see famous Japanese macaques bathing in hot springs.

Savour the majesty of Mount Fuji on this full-day tour from Tokyo. On this day trip, you’ll explore the Arakurayama Sengen Park to climb the famous five-story pagoda, visit the volcanic valley of Owakudani, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of Fuji from the Hakone Ropeway.

Get a taste of Tokyo’s largest entertainment district on this walking tour through Kabukicho. In the company of a local guide, you’ll explore the neon-lit shops, arcades, and restaurants of this bustling area, and finish with a drink in the Golden Gai district of famous Shinjuku.

Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain the Shinto deities. Many rituals with religious background, such as the symbolic purification of the ring with salt, are still followed today. In line with tradition, only men practice the sport professionally in Japan.

Take half a day to learn about sushi and trace the process that moves fish from the market to your dinner table. First, tour the Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, where the majority of the world’s sushi meat is sold, and later join a professional sushi chef to learn how to make your own sushi rolls.